th^friends

Some say the greatest gift of being is knowing there is more than one of your kind sharing your tragedy, happiness & whatever come what may

There is a tinge of irony on how i met all my closer friends, some were friends of friends and things took off and our friendship took a new height. Some friends didnt came close to your heart but so often their friends do.... the joy of friendship comes with the gift of multiplication, for every friend you call dear there will be a few times more coming... and the bond feelin linger in the air as it spread onto new people you now call friends. 

As i begin to adjust myself to becoming a more positive, happy & better thinking person, my appreciation of as-is matters begin to take double take.... not once had i look at a situation that i disagree, only to have myself agreeing to it when i choose to take it on another view.    As i garner the strength to change my view on something i disagree, i am thankful for all the otherwise opinion given by others around me to push me forward.    This activites has brought me so many new friends that i found it hard to stop my "sparing-a-thought" exercise. 

Two friends of my boyfriend n i grew closer as we know each other.   What started out as buddies of Rodman are now my confiding girl pals whom i turn to when i needed an opinion, especially torwards matter relating to Rodman. They were his age, slightly older but very welcoming to me, and as we begin to know each other more, we started hanging out- sometimes without Rodman.. just us ladies... 

on this day, Rane took MQ & i to a japanese restaurant she raved about. It is located in M hotel just beside a pub. The ambience & location is something i really like about this place, for the quiet corners & soft spoken staff makes the cosy place a good choice for gossiping girls like us. 

Furthermore, their cutlery are place in a way i would identify as being "simple"... it makes the dining experience less stressful than the one where we  fuss about dining ettiquette using all the foreign looking forks & spoons placed on the table. 

there was hardly any awkward moments with these ladies, i love to hear their takes on matters, love & life. More importantly, Rodman absolutely approves of our meetups because he knew for sure they have all sorts of praises for him when we spoke. 

From their persistence & integrity on the table to vouch for his good characters, till their much spoken good words of their buddy Rodman, i feel happy knowing my boyfriend can get his "mystery-about-Kristal-and-all-other-females" problem solved with their help. They were special friends of ours i would say, on one hand they are doing all they could to make me feel assure my boyfriend is a great man, and on the other hand they are encouraging Rodman & spurring him on to treat me better & better. How can i ever thank them enough?

--

i have spoken endless love for my cousins & their gift of staying by my side since forever. what is even more magical about them all is how my mum's sides of the cousin know pretty much everything & everyone on my dad's side of the cousin..   They hang out together sometimes so its good to say we are all part of a huge family circle:)

i am particularly closer to my cousins around my age becuase of the bond we have over hanging & HTHT.  They are my pillar of strength when i needed some & i'll do the same for them. 

cuzzie is the largest piece of pie in my family circle, when i was younger every bit of her action & life affect me pretty badly. Times when we stop talking i either lost sleep or grew really upset. Now that we have all grown up, i am just super glad she is still around, though we dont meet or stay over as much as we use to...   above all else, she is miraculously updated with my life & ongoings whenever i babble off my current life and she does hers...    sometimes i secrely think we are living in each other's body somewhere experiencing all the "now" so the updates comes easier than it seem to. 

i am not really a korea food fan because i hardly eat that much meat to fancy them, when i was first introduce to them i didnt hear about the pork belly or tongue that was exceptionally good. The fact that i didnt eat beef previously also didnt help. But a korea BBQ once in a long while sets off the craving. Especially one that comes with authentic tools & staff serving & speaking in korean. I am glad Cuz took control & order most of the food, which taste really really good that i knew i will be heading back pretty soon :)

i really like how my cousins fuss over the food while i sit down like a big shot waiting to be fed. This despite me being the oldest among us all. I guess with age you really just stop growing after 21.  As soon as i turn 21 i no longer who was older and who has to act the role of the jiejie or korkor, the gentlemen do the stuff the gentlemen do while the rest who cares just act upon what they feel was good... 

My cousin are also the shy-iest of the people i hang out with when it comes to gift buying, they are always afraid watever they got me will be something i wont like so they have been wrong cos i havent quite feel so. This year they got me a clutch that was so pretty i didnt dare use all CNY, i was ready to use them next year:)  i love them soooo much!

~Sweet.Silly.Stinky.Sleepyhead~

Shine Bright like a diamond

Somewhere last january, slightly before the boyfriend flew off to Indonesia for his business he has a surprise dinner in line for me as a form of pre-celebration for turning 26. 

As i was overly concern about the upcoming housewarming party back at Le New Place, i hadnt  set much though into my birthday thus the dinner came as a surprise, but a pleasant one distracting me from my negative thoughts & concern over whether the food arrangement for the party the next day, 26jan2013. 

Rodman's workplace & mine are both located toward the west of Singapore, we were relieve when Star Vista opens becuase it marks a new shopping mall to hang out in addition to Jcube.  As we walked around Star Vista, Rodman had to endure my endless whining about how things were getting screwed over the housewarming planning, this, despite him asking me countless times to take a breather & enjoy our time together.    i sure wasnt listening, and still was paying much attention when we left Star Vista and heads for One Rochester Park. 

we have drove past this area once, with Rodman only too excited about the arrays of dining places along One Rochester Road. i remember how we once roughly spoke about dining there during one of the occasion and as it turns out, he had already plan for that occasion to be my birthday :)

i really like how things always works out when i am with him, my mum soon called- as thou on cue- to rest assure more food had been ordered for the housewarming so i can finally stop the fussing & enjoy my dinner with him.. just looking at our happy faces once we checked into Glazed@One Rochester, it all worth it :)

We sat down & got our food ordered, with Rodman - again- surprising me with his knowledge of their food selection. My man does his homework well & all that gesture had me grinning from ear to ear in delight <3 p="">

The staff at Glazed had left me in awe at their amicable service standard. There were constantly staff to ensure everyone was being served on the slightest prompt. the ambience of the diner were also far from being too classy to feel comfortable. 

Such is an excellent place i would rather be in, indulging in food while talking/chatting loudly and hearing the next table giggling over their jokes while toasting over beer. I'll pick this over strict fine dining where ettquette was required anytime. 

our starter were the freshly toasted bread served in limited portion to every table. i really love butter on toast, especially one that feels all cripsy & warm as thou it had been served directly from the oven. However, & much to our hunger's dismay, the bread was meagre and so we had to abstain from munching it all up before our soup is served. 

distracting ourselves from eating more bread by snapping pictures.. i am fully aware what a lousy food blogger i am so no deducted points for not trying

carefully savoring each bit so the bread hasnt gone to a complete waste once it landed in my stomach!

 Another starter, succulent scallop each the size of a 50-cent coin it was top in mango & passionfruit sauce. I  have since forgotten how tasty this was, but i do remember trying scooping up most of the sauce off the plate and clearing every bit of its dressing. 

The soup is finally served- pumpkin soup just the way i like it.. unfortunately Rodman isnt a huge fan of this soup so i had it to my advantage. 

While enjoying the soup, Rodman decided to make a fool out of his excited gf who was too keen to know what she is getting for her birthday. i cannot blame myself because he had been sending hints for MONTHS coming to my birthday, and from the signs i was receiving, i was getting confuse signals till a point i ACTUALLY panick & suspect he might be even be proposing on my birthday. 

Again, another compulsive disorder moments where i make up tall tales about my said birthday present only to have him "splash cold water" by telling me to keep my expectation low... After which i stop guessing completely...   so the same evening he threw me his bag full of electrical tools that he had packed for this business trip, coming up with some silly lies that the present is right there in the bag...... 

Gullible Kristal was taken for a ride.. 

 

this was me asking him over and over again if i had miss out searching any corners... It was all tools. his notebook & wires..... i must admit i was getting frustrated not knowing what exactly to look out for and all the electronical tools inside seems to imply i was getting one of them - much to my dismay.... 

but every tool i pull out, it was obvious he took the opportunity to educate me on their functions -.-"/

i swear i search every inch of the bag before throwing it back to him & saying out loud "i think you have misplace my present, how huge is it? is it a card? did u drop it somewhere while we walk here?!"

there were strings of other accusation and every single time i mention some possibility of the missing "present"; he will "pretend" to drop more silly hints like "are u sure you have really check the bag thoroghly Kris? i am staring at the gift right now, please check again...."

This went on for about 3 times.... i was angry & helpless getting worried he had misplace my present :(     finally after the forth attempt to throw the bag of tools back to him.. i saw something lying on  our table.... you sneakypant Mr Goh, you had me spinning under your lies for the past 20-mins or so, i bet you will remember that moments of my desperation forever.. i hate you,.... but i love you too when i saw that smirk on your face when you concede victory :)

He calmly took out a little blue box from his briefcase and placed it gently on the dining table as i begin to whim in delight. I might have guess this to turn up among all the hundreds other wacky present i assume he will gift me, but the feeling of receiving my first piece of gold was too much to take it... i begin to tear that slight bit... trying to hold back my breath.. 

i am extremely extremely excited at looking at what was inside, and to sidetrack a little if you are guessing i might mistunderstood his intention to propose.... well i did !-initially when i overheard how much he had to sweep his bank savings to grab this gift, but after failing at trying to hide the worried look on my face, he told me not to overthink and there was no proposal plan in line, at least not for my birthday.. 

phew!

okok. tracking back to that very day, and as i was about to tear... i knew i had to do something stupid to hold back those tears... it was my birthday and we were enjoying a fine dinner at a very cosy restaurant, i knew i wasnt going to screw them all up looking red-faced with tear & eyeliner smudged with my emotions..... so i did what no girls would (because they wouldnt risk making their guy feel dumbstruck)... i told him i wouldnt open the box now.... till after dinner maybe.. or at least till i can contain my composure... so abruptly... (but predictably.. since Rodman know me well enough not to feel too alarm at hearing this) we put the present-giving ceremony aside and continue with our dinner.... :*(

i guess i must have had a thousand things going in my mind to actually forget taking pictures of our main. Overall the food were overwhelming and the proportion was more than the two of us could eat. We share our platter, talking about the future we so often spoke about... the family we can build in the years to come... The dilemma on whether having a kid at home will do us any good or if we should shower our love, care & generosity to our siblings & their kids... 

Its a complicated mix of responsibilities when it comes to the future between Rodman & i. i had a selfish thinking of having him all to myself and fear the thought of us having to sacrifice our love to our kids. While it is true that when the time comes you naturally do things willingly, i am encapsulated in the cycle of care & concern showered by Rodman that i sometimes think i might be jealous of my kid if he loves them anymore than he could love me... haha.. 

Silly thoughts, moreover the chance of me getting pregnant has been significantly lower due to my bad health, such thinking are pretty redundant but i do know for sure, that if God does not grant us the gift of a new life, he's prepare to take on our lives ahead, imparting our "privilege" to care& love for other's children. 

We also spoke about our dreams of residing in another's land. There had been lots of evidently successful example around us of the people we know that had taken the leap & am comfortable in a new land.   If you ask me- i am prepare to leave anywhere with him and so long as those i left behind still receive unbiaise love from me wherever i am, then no- i wont feel guilty leaving them behind.   i know enough to know when i am do no lesser and i am pretty sure those who loves me know it too. 

and there you have it... stuff Rodman & i spoke when we are together... :)

soon i ready  to look at my 26th birthday present from him 

check out my 0.3 carat diamond earring from him! VS1, colorless & the most sparkling i ever owned other than my own name [insert *Kristal=Crystal]

Each side of the earring in nicely encrusted on a heart shaped crowning & both are almost identical in size (with exception of the 0.00000000??% insignificant different in grading that one's blind eye cannot see).. Also present along with the earring are two GIA certs that Rodman took great length to study & choose. 

DOnt ask me, i am a diamond idiot if not for the "educational details" he taught me to identify. He also taught me how to identify the serial number on the diamond against the cert after every trip to have them polish & washed if it turns yellowish. 

i am a 26 year old proud owner of 2 babies that "shine bright like a diamond" - quote Rihanna, ever since i put them on i haven change into another earring yet? (its been almost 2 months).. and can i just compliment how well it matches the necklace Mum gave me that i worn since last year? With a complete set of basic accessories i now head out of the house feeling like i am "dressed up"... and on top of all these the boyfriend suggested how- after all the excitement dies off (you know.. me & my short term interest for things).. we will have the diamond replaced onto other accessories, he has already plans for it to be recustomised into a cosmetic ring... and my mature boyfriend is certainly the sort that plans for the future *wink*

Thank you Darby, i know how you and i both know what a miser i can be sometimes, & the ridiculous areas i overspent for, the different, out-of-norm girl you dated have been a tough challenge for you.. Looks like you not only have an important place in my heart now, you have also hook tight on both my ear, making sure i listen only to you from now on :)  <3 p="">

disclaimer: Special thanks to Rodman's mum who had actually hide away Rodman's secret stash for a year so i wont suspect a thing, my own parents for nagging & correcting me in front of him so i wont start "asking for more" after receiving such a big gift, my bro&his gf for the "wahhhhh..... ... wooooo" reaction when i proudly show them my ears, LilSis who rather believe this was Crystal  on Kristal's ear. 

~Sweet.Silly.Stinky.Sleepyhead~